Mortality Rates in Maine
- Maine Population: 1,344,212 (41st highest)
- Population Density: 43.78 per square mile (38th most dense)
- Median Age: 45.00 (1st oldest)
- Deaths Per Year: 14,715 per year
- Annual Deaths Per 100,000: 1,099.4
- Life Expectancy at Birth: 78.6 (25th highest)
- Fertility Rate (births per 1,000 women age 15-44): 50.6 (5th lowest rate)
Leading Causes of Death in Maine
| Cause of Death | Deaths Per Year | Deaths Per 100,000 | National
Rank |
| Cancer | 3,413 | 164.2 | 8th |
| Heart Disease | 2,940 | 142.4 | 39th |
| Accidents (includes vehicle accidents) | 1,027 | 66.8 | 7th |
| Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases (e.g., emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma) | 1,018 | 48.3 | 11th |
| Stroke | 643 | 31.4 | 41st |
| Alzheimer’s Disease | 544 | 25.9 | 35th |
| Diabetes | 477 | 23.6 | 17th |
| Pneumonia + Flu | 301 | 14.7 | 10th |
| Suicide | 276 | 19.4 | 12th |
| Kidney Disease (nephritis, nephrosis, nephrotic syndrome) | 240 | 11.6 | 27th |
| Liver Disease / Cirrhosis | 200 | 10.1 | 35th |
| Drug Overdose | 371 | 29.9 | 13th |
| Homicide | 23 | 1.8 | 48th |
Health Conditions
Maine has relatively low rates of heart disease (the national leading cause of death) but has the 8th highest cancer rate in the nation. Which makes it a “mixed bag” as far as most life insurance companies are concerned.
Coming in at 45 years, Maine has the highest median age of any state, and its fertility rate is one of the nation’s five lowest. For this reason, we here at IBUSA have found that a lot of applicants from Maine will often elect to apply for a no medical exam life insurance policy, do to their youth and lack of any serious pre-existing medical conditions.
Maine is one of only four states with more annual deaths than births (along with NH, PA, and WV).
Maine has the lowest rate of septicemia (blood infection / poisoning) of any state.
Covid
For 2020, Maine’s Covid-19 death rate per 100,000 was 20.5, third lowest among U.S. states. The overall rate of 49 per 100,000 as of July, 2021, ranks fourth lowest.
Workplace
With only 3 workplace deaths per 100,000, Maine is one of the safest states to work.
Driving
Maine’s rate of 12.7 vehicle fatalities per 100,000 makes it the only state in the northeastern U.S. with a rate higher than the national average of 11. For this reason it’s not all that uncommon for some to purchase an accidental death policy instead of applying for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy.
Homicide
Maine’s homicide rate of 1.8 per 100,000 (3rd lowest) and low crime rates overall make it one of the safest states in the U.S.
Sources:
U.S. Dept of Ag., Economic Research Service, https://data.ers.usda.gov/reports.aspx?ID=17827 (citing U.S. Census Bureau, 2019).
Statista, Population Density in the U.S. by Federal States Including District of Columbia in 2020 (2020).
StatsAmerica (Ind. Bus. Research Center), Median Age in 2019.
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, State & Territorial Data (2018 – 2019).
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, Fertility Rates by State (2019).
CDC, Natl. Center for Health Statistics, Stats of the States (2021).
Maine Div. of Health Services, Maine Resident Deaths (2010 – 2019).
WABI TV, Maine One of Four States in which More People Died than were Born, (Dec. 31, 2019).
New York Times, Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count (July 1, 2021).
Natl. Safety Council, Work Deaths by State (2019).
Natl. Safety Council, Motor-Vehicle Deaths by State (2019).
WorldPopulationReview.com, Safest States 2021; (https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/safest-states
